Editorial: Human rights complaints a serious matter

Jessica Yaniv, a transgender woman in B.C., has filed over a dozen human rights complaints against businesses she alleges discriminated against her on the basis of gender identity. Courtesy Jessica Yaniv, @trustednerd

Human rights are not to be treated lightly.

That’s a given in our part of the world.

After all, that’s one of the things that makes Canada one of the world’s most popular countries to call home.

We are a fair, generous and welcoming country.

Perfect?

Far from it, but our effort is ingrained and relentless.

Yet we also believe that in this current climate, common sense is often sacrificed at the altar of political correctness, which can lead to people claiming their human rights have been violated over the most questionable things.

To that, we say hooey.

If you are driven to make a human rights complaint — and yes, there are way too many legitimate claims of racism, sexism, etc. — please make it about an actual human rights issue, not because you are simply offended or have your feelings hurt.

Two recent cases in Canada bring the whole frivolous human rights complaint issue to the forefront.

First, Canadians have been blessed with the delightful and ongoing story of Jessica Yaniv, the B.C. transgender woman who has filed human rights complaints against those professional estheticians who refuse to wax her male genitalia.

With an accompanying sideshow of aggression and confrontation that seems to accompany Yaniv’s every move, this story has furrowed brows from coast to coast.

Quiet simply, it’s a ridiculous and frivolous complaint that is having a very nasty impact on those on the receiving end, who are just trying to make a living.

Then earlier this week, we heard about an Edmonton man who filed a complaint with the Alberta Human Rights Commission because he didn’t like the questions he was asked by a single father looking for a babysitter.

Apparently, the complainant was asked his age and gender after applying for the position online.

When he answered the questions and wasn’t called back, he cried foul.

Which is exactly when his complaint should have been kicked to the curb.

Sorry, but any parent who doesn’t do their due diligence when hiring a babysitter is dancing with the devil.

Our most precious deserve nothing more than our absolute protection, and if that means rejecting an uncomfortable offer of care, so be it.